The Open Championship has been held since 1860. In the early days, the event was held at Prestwick Golf Club each year. Today, the tournament rotates through a series of courses including Royal St. George’s. These players have won the Claret Jug at the Kent, England Course.
1894 Open Championship Winner – J.H. Taylor
A star golfer near the turn of the century, J.H. Taylor was part of the Great Triumvirate with Harry Vardon and James Braid. Taylor had the earliest success of the trio, winning five Open Championships, this one being his first.
1899 Open Championship Winner – Harry Vardon
Harry Vardon won the 1899 Open Championship at Royal St. Georges, his third title in just four years. The next year he would travel to America to participate in and win the 1900 U.S. Open. He would also add three more Open Championships before his career ended.
1904 Open Championship Winner – Jack White
Prior to the 1904 Open Championship, Jack White had finished previous tournaments in second, third, fourth, sixth and a tie for 10th place. He was finally able to break through during the 1904 event at St. Georges’ beating out James Braid and J.H. Taylor.
1911 Open Championship Winner – Harry Vardon
Harry Vardon not only the winner of six Open Championships, he also finished the tournament in second place four times and in third place twice. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame when the hall was established in 1974, the first of the Golden Triumverate to be so honored.
1922 Open Championship Winner – Walter Hagen
Walter Hagen, who is third all-time in major championship wins, is considered to be one of the greatest golfers of all time. He achieved an impressive feat in 1922, becoming the first American-born player to win the Open Championship.
1928 Open Championship Winner – Walter Hagen
Hagen was still up to his superstar ways in 1928, and his success continued during the 1928 tournament at Royal St. Georges. The win at the Open Championship was his 10th major and he’d again win the Open Championship in 1929 making for a record 11 majors.
1934 Open Championship Winner – Henry Cotton
Henry Cotton never played in the PGA Championship but finished 13th at the Masters in 1957 and 17th at the U.S. Open in 1956. The Cheshire, England-born Cotton excelled at the Open Championship winning titles in 1934, 1937 and 1948.
1938 Open Championship Winner – Reg Whitcombe
The 1938 Open Championship would be the last for 11 years as World War II raged around Europe. Reg Whitcombe, from Somerset, England, would become the champion. Whitcombe never played in any of the other three majors, though he had 17 wins throughout his career.
1949 Open Championship Winner – Bobby Locke
South African superstar Bobby Locke made the cut at 11 Open Championships and he finished at the winner at four of those events. That included 1949, the first tournament at Royal St. Georges in 11 years, where he beat Harry Bradshaw and Roberto De Vicenzo by a stroke.
1981 Open Championship Winner – Bill Rodgers
Bill Rogers was only a full-time player on the tour from 1975 through 1988, but he made quite an impact, especially early on in his career. Rogers was named the PGA Golfer of the Year in 1981, finishing second at the U.S. Open and winning that year’s Open Championship at St. Georges.
1985 Open Championship Winner – Sandy Lyle
There hadn’t been a British winner at the Open Championship since Tony Jacklin in 1969, but Sandy Lyle was able to reverse that trend in 1985 by winning the title. Conditions were harsh that weekend as Lyle won with a score of two over topping Payne Stewart by one shot.
1993 Open Championship Winner – Greg Norman
Greg Norman was the best player of his day, spending 331 weeks as the number-one player in the world. The Shark had trouble with majors, only capturing two during his career. That included the 1993 Open Championship by two strokes over Nick Faldo.
2003 Open Championship Winner – Ben Curtis
Ben Curtis winning the 2003 Open Championship is one of the most shocking golf results of the last 30 years. Curtis, who was playing in his first major, went in as a 300-1 underdog but beat out much more accomplished pros Thomas Bjorn and Vijay Singh.
2011 Open Championship Winner – Darren Clarke
Darren Clarke only has three career wins on the PGA Tour, but the Northern Irish golfer was much more active on the European Tour, winning 14 times. The highlight of his career came in 2011 when he won the Open Championship at Royal St. George’s over Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson.
2021 Open Championship Winner – Collin Morikawa
Still only 27 years old, Collin Morikawa has already accomplished plenty in golf. Turning pro in 2019, Morikawa won the PGA Championship in 2020, then the Open Championship at Royal St. Georges in 2021, besting Jordan Spieth.
